Clinical and Non Clinical Temporary and Permanent Staffing Framework
Request Bid Support
A major new government staffing framework has been released, presenting a significant opportunity for recruitment agencies, healthcare staffing providers, social care staffing organisations and specialist workforce suppliers across the UK.
The Framework At a Glance
| Framework value: | Estimated £6 billion |
| Number of Lots: | 12 |
| Provider limit: | Unlimited number of providers |
| Deadline: | September 2026 |
| Tender documents: | 87 |
| Portal: | Crown Commercial Service Bravo portal |
| Bid support: | From £2,000 + VAT for one Lot |
With an estimated value of £6 billion, the framework brings together an extensive range of staffing requirements across 12 Lots, covering everything from nursing, medical and social care staffing through to IT, legal, corporate, estates and permanent recruitment.
For organisations operating within these markets, this is a procurement opportunity worth serious consideration.
The framework consolidates two existing agreements: RM6281 Clinical and Healthcare Staffing and RM6277 Non Clinical Staffing. Bringing these areas together creates a substantial new agreement spanning both clinical and non-clinical workforce requirements.
Perhaps most importantly for prospective bidders, the framework is accepting an unlimited number of providers.
The tender documentation is extensive, however. There are 87 bidding documents associated with the opportunity, meaning suppliers need to allow sufficient time to understand the requirements, determine which Lots are appropriate and prepare their submissions ahead of the September 2026 deadline.
What does the £6 billion staffing framework cover?
The framework has been divided into 12 Lots, reflecting the enormous breadth of staffing requirements covered by the agreement.
These are:
Lot 1 – Nursing and Midwifery
This Lot covers nursing and midwifery staffing and is likely to be particularly relevant to healthcare recruitment and temporary staffing organisations operating within these professional groups.
Lot 2 – Medical Staffing
Focused on medical staffing, this Lot provides an opportunity for agencies specialising in supplying medical professionals.
Lot 3 – AHP, HSS & Emergency
This Lot covers Allied Health Professionals, Health Science Services and emergency staffing requirements.
Lot 4 – Social Care Staffing
Importantly, the framework extends beyond traditional NHS and clinical staffing. Lot 4 covers social care staffing, creating an opportunity for organisations supplying workers into the social care market.
Lot 5 – Administrative & Corporate Roles
This covers administrative and corporate workforce requirements, opening the framework to organisations supplying a much broader range of personnel.
Lot 6 – IT Professionals and Digital Workers
Digital transformation continues to be a significant part of public-sector delivery, and this Lot covers IT professionals and digital workers.
Lot 7 – Legal Supply
Specialist suppliers operating within legal recruitment and workforce provision have their own dedicated Lot.
Lot 8 – Scientific, Technical & Clinical Coding Supply
This Lot covers specialist scientific and technical personnel alongside clinical coding supply.
Lot 9 – Estates, Facilities Management & Ancillary Staff
Suppliers specialising in estates, facilities management and ancillary workforce provision can compete through Lot 9.
Lot 10 – Permanent Recruitment
The framework isn’t restricted to temporary or agency staffing. Permanent recruitment is included as a dedicated Lot.
Lot 11 – MSP Neutral Vend
The first of the framework’s managed service Lots covers MSP Neutral Vend arrangements.
Lot 12 – MSP Master Vend
Finally, Lot 12 covers MSP Master Vend arrangements.
The breadth of these Lots demonstrates the scale of the opportunity. This isn’t simply a medical or nursing staffing framework; it encompasses a significant proportion of the workforce categories required across health and public-sector services.
How many suppliers can be appointed to the framework?
One of the most notable aspects of this procurement is that an unlimited number of providers can be accepted onto the framework.
For suppliers, this makes the opportunity particularly interesting.
Traditional frameworks can restrict the number of successful organisations appointed to individual Lots. Even suppliers submitting strong bids can therefore find themselves unsuccessful because only a limited number of places are available.
That isn’t the case here. An unlimited provider model removes that particular restriction, although suppliers will, of course, still need to successfully demonstrate that they meet the framework’s requirements.
It is therefore important not to confuse “unlimited providers” with guaranteed acceptance. The quality and compliance of the submission still matter.
What do suppliers need to prepare for the framework?
The scale of the documentation is another reason suppliers should begin looking at this opportunity now rather than waiting until closer to the deadline.
There are 87 bidding documents to work through.
Large government frameworks frequently require significantly more preparation than smaller standalone contracts. Before writing begins, suppliers need to understand exactly what is being asked, identify the relevant documentation and establish what information will be required from their organisation.
This is particularly important where a supplier is considering more than one Lot.
One of the biggest mistakes businesses make when approaching major frameworks is assuming that the published deadline represents the amount of time available to write the bid.
In reality, there is considerable work to complete before the first response should be drafted. A sensible bid process begins with understanding the procurement.
More than a decade supporting government staffing frameworks
Big Sister and the wider Hudson team have been supporting businesses bidding for government staffing frameworks for more than a decade.
During that time, our clients have secured contracts and framework opportunities worth millions of pounds, supported by our bid specialists.
That experience is particularly valuable when approaching a procurement of this size.
Large frameworks require more than good writing.
A strong bid process requires careful planning, document management, compliance, understanding of the buyer’s requirements and the ability to translate an organisation’s real experience, systems and strengths into clear, evidence-led responses.
Our team has an incredible win rate supporting organisations through competitive procurement exercises, with extensive experience across healthcare, social care, recruitment and public-sector contracting.
Jill Hudson will personally lead the framework
Support for this framework will be led by Jill Hudson, who has more than 20 years of bidding experience within this market.
Jill has worked extensively with organisations bidding into healthcare, staffing, social care and wider government markets and will oversee our approach to this procurement.
Given the size of the framework and the number of organisations expected to be interested, senior oversight is particularly important.
Our team has already completed the initial work of breaking down the opportunity and reviewing the 87 bidding documents, which means we are now in a position to discuss the framework with prospective bidders and provide quotations for support.
Should your business bid?
A £6 billion framework understandably attracts attention, but the size of an opportunity should never be the only reason to bid.
The first question should always be: Is this the right opportunity for our organisation?
Before committing resources, suppliers should establish which Lot or Lots genuinely align with their experience and service offering.
They should also consider whether they have the evidence, operational capability and supporting information required to produce a competitive and compliant submission.
The fact that 12 Lots are available doesn’t mean bidding for more Lots is automatically better.
A focused submission into the right area can be far more sensible than stretching resources across categories that don’t closely match the organisation’s strengths.
This is where an informed bid/no-bid discussion can be extremely valuable.
How much does bid support cost?
Our bid writing support for this framework starts from £2,000 + VAT for one Lot.
The final quotation will depend on the Lot or Lots being pursued and the level of support required.
Because of the expected level of interest in this framework, our delivery capacity will be limited. Businesses considering professional bid support are therefore encouraged to speak to us as early as possible rather than waiting until September.
When is the £6 billion staffing framework deadline?
The framework is due to close in September 2026.
The procurement is being managed through the Crown Commercial Service Bravo portal.
With £6 billion in estimated value, 12 Lots, an unlimited number of potential providers and a scope spanning clinical, social care, professional, technical and non-clinical staffing, this is likely to be an important procurement for organisations operating across the staffing market.
For suppliers considering participating, the next step should be understanding exactly where they fit.
Big Sister has now reviewed and broken down the 87 bidding documents and is ready to support organisations considering the framework.
With more than a decade of experience supporting government staffing frameworks, an incredible win rate and clients that have secured work worth millions with our support, our team can help you determine your bidding strategy and prepare your submission.
Bid support starts from £2,000 + VAT for one Lot.
If you’re considering bidding, get in touch as soon as possible to discuss the opportunity and secure capacity ahead of the September deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions About the £6 Billion Staffing Framework
What is the new £6 billion government staffing framework?
The framework is a major government procurement covering clinical and non-clinical temporary and permanent staffing requirements. It consolidates the existing RM6281 Clinical and Healthcare Staffing and RM6277 Non Clinical Staffing agreements and is divided into 12 Lots.
How many suppliers can be appointed to the staffing framework?
The framework allows an unlimited number of providers to be appointed. However, suppliers must still meet the procurement requirements and submit a compliant response; unlimited places do not mean automatic acceptance.
What organisations can bid for the framework?
The framework is relevant to organisations operating across healthcare recruitment, social care staffing, temporary and permanent recruitment, IT and digital recruitment, legal staffing, facilities and estates staffing, and other specialist workforce markets covered by the 12 Lots.
When is the deadline for the staffing framework?
The framework is due to close in September 2026. With 87 bidding documents to review, suppliers considering participating should begin preparing well ahead of the deadline.
How many Lots can a supplier bid for?
There are 12 Lots covering different staffing categories. Suppliers should identify the Lots that most closely align with their experience, capabilities and evidence rather than assuming that bidding for more Lots will result in a stronger submission.
How much does professional bid support cost?
Big Sister’s bid support for this framework starts from £2,000 + VAT for one Lot. The final cost depends on the number of Lots being pursued and the level of support required.
Can Big Sister help us decide whether to bid?
Yes. Big Sister has already reviewed and broken down the 87 bidding documents and can help suppliers assess the opportunity, identify appropriate Lots and determine their bidding strategy before preparing the submission.
